Zorki 5A and 5B and Zorki 6
   The Zorki 5 was a short-lived camera, manufactured only in 1958 and 1959. Based roughly on the Zorki 2c, the Zorki 5 was the only bottom loader with a lever film advance. The Zorki 5 shell appears to be made of steel rather than an aluminum alloy. It is not interchangable with the Zorki 2C body. Like the FED 2, it has more distance between the two rangefinder windows, improving focusing accuracy. The general design then evolved into the Zorki 6, the only Zorki with a hinged back. Zorki 5s came standard with either the 50mm Industar 3.5 rigid lens or the 3.5 I-50 collapsible. The camera has separate connections for bulb and electronic flash and a viewfinder diopter adjustment inder the rewind knob. Shutter speeds include B 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500. The Zorki 5 doesn't have a self timer. Some authorities on Soviet cameras clain the Zorki 5s weren't as well made (cheaper) that other models and more likely to experience mechanical problems. Several Z5 authorities warn that the camera can be damaged if the shutter is tripped without a lens on the body.


ZORKI 5A
The Zorki 5A was only made in 1958 and is easy to identify by the red lettering on the front and the square rangefinder window on the wind side of the front. Most Z5As had a nylon body covering but a few, like this example, had the traditional vulcanite covering. A rare variation has the red engraving and a round rangefinder window. From examining examples of the 5A it appears the engineers were still refining the lever advance mechanism and the innards appear cruder than the 5B models and seem more prone to problems. Nevertheless, the Zorki 5, especially the red model, is one of the best-looking Soviet rangfinders and the long-based rangefinders make focusing easier.

ZORKI 5B
The Zorki 5B was manufactured in 1959 and has a round rangefinder window and a black plastic plate on the front with the camera name. As with the 5A, most had nylon body covering but a few, like this example, had vulcanite. The lever advance mechanism is more refined than the 5A and virtually identical to the advance on the Zorki 6.

ZORKI 6
The Zorki 6 is essentially 5B with self-timer and a hinged back. The lever wind mechanism had been perfected by this point and the Z6 seldom gives trouble in this area. The Z6 is lighter and more compact than the Zorki 4K, the other Zorki lever wind but it doesn't have slow shutter speeds. Most Z6s came with the rigid f3.5 50mm Industar 50 lens. This camera has a black Jupiter 8 lens. All Zorki 6 cameras had the nylon rather than vulcanite covering. This camera was produced in 1964.The Zorki 6 was manufactured from 1959 to 1966.

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